Russia and Ukraine clashed on Thursday during a United Nations Security Council session convened by Russia to scrutinize Western arms supplies to Kyiv, including those from the United States. Moscow argued that it is merely trying to survive the ongoing conflict on Ukraine’s behalf while casting this as a broader confrontation over military support.
The meeting opened with a warning from Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. She flagged continuous and accelerated shipments of arms and ammunition to Ukraine amid its counteroffensive and urged greater control to prevent weapons from being diverted. She referenced alarming reports of arms transfers to Russian forces for use in Ukraine, including unmanned aerial systems and ammunition that could intensify the conflict.
Nakamitsu also noted figures from the High Commissioner for Human Rights detailing the human toll since the war began. Roughly 9,100 deaths and 15,800 civilian injuries had been recorded, with many casualties resulting from explosive weapons in populated areas. The most recent example cited was an incident in Kramatorsk on Tuesday.
Vasily Nebenzia, the Russian representative, contended that Western allies had effectively become a private military network, reaping exorbitant profits at the expense of Russian lives. He accused the West of supplying arms, forming battalions, and sharing intelligence, while simultaneously claiming neutrality and noninvolvement in the conflict.
Ukraine’s ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, who joined the session at the end, asserted that Ukraine must defend itself because Russia appears prepared to attack at any moment given the weapons it already possesses. He argued that stopping military aid to Russia would not compromise Kyiv’s defense. Ukraine’s stance was reinforced by his statement that the deaths in Kramatorsk were not caused by Kyiv’s decisions to arm itself, but by Russia’s continued armament and intent to kill. He urged those concerned about weapon transfers to distinguish clearly between aggressor and survivor. In Russia’s case, he argued, the issue is political rather than legal.
The United States envoy, Robert Wood, challenged Russia’s framing of the debate. He stated that the argument about a broad coalition supporting Ukraine being a threat to international peace and security did not hold. Wood defended the aid as necessary for Kyiv’s right to self-defense and emphasized efforts to ensure that supplied weapons do not fall into misused hands, particularly through careful management of how arms are distributed.
Several countries expressed support for Ukraine during the session, including France and the United Kingdom, which urged a formal resolution to the conflict. China offered a more measured response, signaling a preference for negotiations and the potential to act as a facilitator for peace.
The disarmament official warned of ongoing and intensified attacks on critical infrastructure across Ukraine. Energy networks, hospitals, educational facilities, roads, and bridges remained vulnerable, with land still contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance that hindered movement and daily life.